Surabaya. The East Java Police secured 997 individuals suspected of being involved in violent demonstrations within the province from August 29 to September 16.

East Java Police Chief Inspector General Nanang Avianto said that out of the 997 people detained, 582 were adults and 415 were minors. Of that number, 682 were released, while 315 others are still undergoing legal proceedings.

“Some were released because they were minors, and of course, we directly handed them over to their parents. Most parents did not even know about their children’s activities,” he said in Surabaya.

Nanang added that the police had provided guidance to parents so they could be more attentive in supervising their children in their communities.

“This is truly regrettable, a matter that has certainly disappointed parents upon seeing their children involved in this incident. I believe all parents will show affection once their children are returned,” he said.

He also reminded the public, especially the younger generation, to be wise in using social media amid the flood of information circulating through information technology.

“Be wise in using social media, because we know that nowadays, with IT in our hands, anything can spread very quickly. At that moment, we must be discerning in seeing what is positive and what is negative,” he said.

According to him, the anarchic demonstrations involving hundreds of minors serve as a valuable lesson to prevent similar incidents from happening again in the future.

“So that they won’t cause negative impacts later on. This has already happened -- an expensive lesson to ensure it won’t happen again,” Nanang stated.

He added that the riots occurred in 10 cities across East Java, with notable incidents in Sidoarjo, Malang City, Jember, and Kediri. According to him, demonstrations that were supposed to be a forum for expressing opinions had shifted into acts of criminality.

In addition to the hundreds of people detained, the unrest also caused injuries and significant losses. Police data recorded that 111 civilians sustained injuries, most of whom received outpatient care.

Meanwhile, members of the security forces were also injured: 105 police officers and 12 military personnel. They suffered injuries from stone-throwing, Molotov cocktails, and glass shards.